The AG600 aircraft operated by China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Co, Ltd, a subsidiary of Aviation Industry Corporation of China, Ltd (AVIC), completed stationing support and operational training missions in Shaoguan, South China’s Guangdong Province.
The AG600 aircraft in the air. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
The missions showed the aircraft’s adaptability and reliability in the complex terrain of South China, indicating that the aircraft has preliminarily acquired rapid-response firefighting capabilities. The training also provided valuable experience for the aircraft to undertake more frequent and wider-area stationing missions in the future.
A ground service crew prepares the aircraft for its mission. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
The AG600 aircraft conducted training on fire patrol, low-altitude water dropping, open-water scooping, and rapid emergency response. Over the course of 78 sorties, totaling 32 hours and 22 minutes of flight time, all training objectives were accomplished, with the aircraft’s operational strengths integrated with local emergency response needs.
The aircraft is given a water salute as it taxis on the runway. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
The AG600 is China’s first independently developed large civil aircraft for special purposes. It is designed for forest firefighting and marine rescue. Going forward, AVIC will advance the development of an emergency rescue network and build an integrated platform for enterprises, universities, research institutes and application teams. The company will also make efforts to establish an aerial emergency rescue team, in order to improve the national aviation emergency rescue system.
(Executive editor Zuo Shihan)
